second, how we got here, it's not unions. wages for americans have been going down the past 115 years. people are not keeping up with inflation. the average american worker has taken a 2011 pay cut when you compare what they made 10 years ago to what they're making now. -- $2000 pay cut. on the spending, i disagree with you. the republicans in congress in particular have opened up the piggy bank. when you have the war in iraq and the war in afghanistan on the credit card, that's a disgrace. never in the history of this country have we put the cost more on a credit card. with the bush tax cuts, they said it would increase the economy. it did not. we had higher tax rates under clinton and then lower tax rates under bush. these are policies we have passed in this country that have led to this. it has primarily been under republican leadership. if it does not mean democrats don't have some responsibility. host: peter welch is our guest until the top of the hour. the democrat from vermont, the chief deputy whip for the house leade